Single dose dispenser



Aug. 15, 1950 w. c. MENDE SINGLE DOSE DISPENSER FiledMarch 6. 1948 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 15, M1950 Y#SINGLE DOSE DISPENSER fWillianrC. `,Mende,` ochellerPark', N; J., assignor to Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation, a corporation of New `Jersey Application Mareas, 1948,'f's'eria1No.13`,881

.,-ij Claims, (Cl. 1285261) l This invention relates tonew anduseful im-V provements in applicators for use' in dispensing formulations inthe nature of s lid tabletsy liquids;k semiliquids, and jellies into body cavitiesj and specically relates to applicators andA dispensers adapted to the application of4 said pharmaceutical formulations into the vagina.

WHeretofore it has been thepractice to introducerviscous liquid or jelly-like pharmaceutical formulations such as oil-in-water emulsions and aqueous gelatinous formulations, ,which are used' thereuse of a mechanical dispenserin instances where a vaginal infection is being treated subjects the patient to the hazard of re-infection unless adequate precautions are taken by way 'of sterilizing the dispenser after each use. The combination of the dispenser anda collapsible tube containing the pharmaceutical composition to be introduced into the body cavity is bulky and not readily disposable 'when it isno longer to be used and is to be discarded. f

The dispensers now Vin common use are cumbersome and their use entails undesirable inconveniences since they are commonly of the plunger type and'must have atube'element which is Aapproximately 51/2 to 5% inches in length be;- cause of the necessity of introducing pharmaceutical formulations at a depth into the human vagina which in average'cases is'approximately 5 inches in order that the formulation may contact the formix and Vcervix and allow at least' 1/'2 to 3A of an inch of the dispenser to protrude and provide a convenient purchase for holding the dispenser tube in the proper position. The plungermust also have approximately the same length as that of the tube, and thus when the tube is iilled and ready -for use and the vdispenser is fully extended, it has a length of about 11 to 111/2 inches; it isapparent that the use of such a dispenser is awkward and inconvenient.

An object of this invention is to provide a dispenser by means of whicha liquid, semi-liquid, or jelly-like.pharmaceutical composition may be neatly, quickly, and convenientlyA dispensed into a body*V cavity and specically into the human vagina.

ff further object of this invention is to.v provide a dispenser of simple and inexpensive construction which may be readily manufactured in large quantities and be economically \zliscarde'fl o r disposed of after a single use.

V "Another' and further objectief this invention is' to provide a dispenser which in addition to pro-j Ividing means for administering pharmaceutical compositions into a body cavity also serves to provide a'h'older or container for; the pharmacew' tical :on'ipositionprior`v to its bein'gfdispensed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a dispenser ofthe class described which is adapted to contain an amount'of a pharmaceijlticalcomposition suitable for'one application or treatment.

Still another object kof'this invention is to pro-b vide a dispenser Yof the class described which is adapted to maintain its contents in a sterile condition upto the time of use andir'om which the' said pharmaceuticalA composition contained therein may readily and conveniently be projected into a body cavity without exposure to contami-A nation.V 1

An important object of this .invention is to, provide a dispenser which is not bulky andY is convenient to carry and use. Y y

Other objects will appear from the following description and drawing as well as in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawingl Va structure has beendiselosed which is designedto carry out the.

various objects of the invention, but it is `tobe understood that the invention is not conned to the exact features in the drawing but thatvarious changes may be made4 within the scope of the claims which are appended.

In the drawing:

V Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of adispenser dash lines the position assumed by parts of the` device when a bond elementis released.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational View broken away f and in section showing the devicejextended and ready for use.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal` cross-section taken on as are illustrated in the drawing, by a cap I4 or subereousplug. l

Figs. 1, 2, and 3 show the dispenser of this invention in a, folded condition in which it is conveniently compact and readily carried. The ability of the dispenser to be thus foldedfs'lde-VV danger' off clogging said hopper.

pendent upon the construction and shape of the tube containing the pharmaceutical formulation to be dispensed. As has been pointed out above, the portion of the tube containing the medicament is cylindrical in shape and comprises ap`r the dispenser by meansl of a plug 32' which mayV be fabricated of paper,l wood, felt, pulp, rubber, plastic', or subereous materials. Because of the flattened nature of upper part 22' ofithe tube, this' upper part mayl be read'ily'bent to form a bend"V I8., preferably near the center ofthe tube and at` a` position on the. tube near the start ofv the ilattened portion, whichv bend acts' to hermeticallyY seal the tube at the bend. A plunger 2ty which is preferably in the form ofv a flattened tube, as illustrated Yin Fig. 6, but which may also be a solid' strip, is positioned inside the 'upper portion 22 of the dispenser tube,y andY as shown. in Fig; 3 the 2.

pushing' end 3D' of` plunger 2,6 extends just short of' the bend I8'. Pl'unger 2B is folded at the end Z4 of flattened portion 22 of the dispenser tube and is adapted by means4 of. this fold to lie adja-` cent to flattened portion 22. Before use, the folded parts of the tube and plunger are held against the lowerl cylindrical portion I2 ofthe tube IIJ by anysuitable means, but' most conveniently and preferably by' a stripv of adhesive Vor cellulose adhesive tape: 361.* Y

The first step in using the dispenser of this* in' vention is to remove retaining means'SB, and when this is done, the folded portions of the dispenser spring away from the cylindrical portion I2 of tube I0', as is illustrated in Fig. 3- by dot and dash lines,

. The folded portionsY may be read-ily brought into direct alignment with the cylindrical por tion of the tube containing the pharmaceutical: formulation, and the position showing the` tube and plunger in direct' alignment is illustratedA in Figs. 4, 5, and '7'. In order to dispense the contents 34 of the tube intoa body cavity, the straightened tube and' plunger, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, are inserted into the body cavity to a suflicient-depth afterv cap I4 has been re moved from the cylindrical portionlr I2 of tube. I0. A propelling force is applied toplungerZl. whereuponl the pushing end 302 thereof contacts piston 32 and expels the4 medicament;v Fig. 'I

shows the dispenser after a portion ofthe medica-VV ment has been expelled.

Detents 38 are present in the lower end of' cylimiricalv portion t2' of' tube I0: to@ retain piston 32 within the said cylindrical portion of the tube. A featurel of the invention resides in the simple andinexpensive.Y naturel of the dispenser whereby' it may be economically discarded or disposed ofi after a single use; itis therefore; preferably constructed of paper, paper board, cardboard, or a synthetic material such as polyvinyl alcohol Which readily lends itself to the formation of sheets, films, and tubes, or of other plastics which may be formed into tubes by extrusion. The use of a synthetic material such as polyvinyl alcohol has the added advantage that it softens and swells upon contact with water due to. its waterabsorbable properties; thus making it more readily disposable than paper or cardboard since it may be discarded into a toilet hopper without Other waterabsorbingv synthetic materials. may be substituted for polyvinyl, alcohol. Paper or paper board lined withawater-resistant lm such as cellulose acetate butyrate, polyethylene, and the like, has also been found satisfactory for use in fabricating the tube. and plunger of the dispenser.

It will be apparent tof-those skilled in the art that the principal objects of the invention have been accomplished and that numerous and various changes andv modifications' may bev made in the embodiments of the invention herein described' and that the invention is capable of use and has' advantages not specically described herein; it will therefore be appreciated; that thev herein-made disclosures are tov be construed in the 'naturev of'illustration only and that the invention is to belilnited or delineated only by theappended' claims.

What is claimed' ist' n 1. A disposable container and applicator device adapted' to contain andA inject pharmaceuticall formulations contained therein into body cavities;

said device comprising an elongatedl tube having a sufficient rigidity to retain its shape; said tube having, a portion of approximately half its length circular in cross-section for containing a pharmaceutical formulation and' a partially attened portion of approximately half its length; said tube. having a movable, internally disposed piston positioned in the circular in cross-section portion and' a piston expeller;l said' tube being adapted to fold. at its partially'. flattened portion and said piston expeller lbeing adapted to fold.

2. A device according to claim I in which the piston expeller is a partially flattened tube.

3. A. device according to claim 1 in which the piston expeller is a solid strip.

h4. A device, according to claim 1 which ijs en,V tirely composedA of materials capable of swelling in water. 5. A device according to claim 1 which iscomposed of polyvinyl alcohol'.

6. A device according to claim 1 which is comf.

posed of water-absorbing material.

WILLIAM o. f

REFERENCES CITEDA The Afollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany July 15, 1936 

